My son got his flu jab this morning - we opted for the shot at the city health department rather than waiting a full month for his checkup. He has the day off school for the holiday and my husband took the day off work. They got their shots together.

My son is milking his shot for all it is worth. We KNOW they don’t really hurt. Just a little pinch. But he called me all “Woe is me, my poor little arm hurts so badly. A new Lego Star Wars set would really make it feel better!” (We negotiated it down to an ice cream cone, which he will get later with Daddy.)

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Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe. - Lex Luthor

I recall getting bad “colds” when I was a kid in the 30s, but didn’t seem to have much problem from then on. I started getting the flu shots as soon as they came out, whenever that was, and haven’t ever had any problem. I got this year’s a few weeks ago, however, I’ll hold off on the H1N1 until they announce they have plenty of it. Since old fuds seem unlikely to get it, probably because of prior exposure or prior immunizations, and it’s usually lighter, I figure that kids and young people should have the highest priority.

Do most people get their annual flu shots? I don’t recall ever getting one. My last flu was 2 or 3 years ago and the one before that was another 5-6 years before the last flu. My father is a nurse and he recently told me that I shouldn’t get the vaccination because my immune system won’t get stronger over time. He’s not the reason I never got a shot, I recently met him after 20 years or so.

That is strange logic. The flu shot strengthens your immune system, just as it would if you go the actual flu. Except you don’t have to get the actual flu and risk pneumonia and other horrible things.

I don’t anything about any of this stuff. Is it possible that you get stronger from recovering from more severe flu cases? Kind of like working out. Light workouts have smaller gains and than intense workouts, assuming you don’t over do it.

The flu shot strengthens your immune system, just as it would if you go the actual flu.

I don’t think that’s true, Jules. I believe the antibodies you get from the actual flu are stronger—if that’s the right word to use (?). If you get the flu shot your chances of getting the flu are still 40%. But if you get the flu, I imagine the chances of falling ill with the exact virus are much lower. Of course, flu shot is much safer way of getting the antibodies.

In general live vaccines create higher antibody levels than killed vaccines but still not as high a level as you would get from a natural infection in most cases. In addition, natural infections sometimes generate more than one type of antibody

Obviously, there are many reasons why one should get the vaccine instead of getting the actual flu.

BTW, the word was “higher” antibody, not “stronger” as I incorrectly wrote in my previous post.